


The Willow Maid

by Camerahead12



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Angst, Author Is Sleep Deprived, Based on a song, Character Death, DestielFFPrompt (Supernatural), Dryad Dean, Faerie Dean Winchester, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, If you listened to the song you know what’s coming, M/M, Prompt Fic, Sad Ending, Technically tree dryad, The Author Regrets Nothing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-22
Updated: 2020-06-22
Packaged: 2021-03-03 22:08:10
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,444
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24852844
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Camerahead12/pseuds/Camerahead12
Summary: Dean is a tree dryad living a simple life. That is, until the forest starts becoming less and less and humans start taking from them what isn’t there’s.
Relationships: Castiel/Dean Winchester
Comments: 8
Kudos: 26





	The Willow Maid

**Author's Note:**

> This prompt is written especially for Aine. 
> 
> Where I had heard the song before, I never really thought about giving it Destiel spin until you mentioned it. I hope I did it some justice. <3
> 
> Based on the song, The Willow Maid, YouTube link here: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=E52rxz2sjRs

Time is an odd thing for Dean to keep track of. What seemed like nothing to him was many years to humans. Most of the time he spent listening to the other tree dryads talking through the wind. They’d tell stories of other places far away. Others would sing mournfully at the loss of one of their family.

On some occasions Dean would join in their songs. He felt like his own willow tree could feel the pain of her sisters and together their mourned another one lost to the greed of man.

Time went on, as it does, in the forest. The songs of his brothers and sisters became less and less. More often than not the wind brought smells that wasn’t the wet earth of the land, or the scent of honeysuckle in the forest. No, the wind carried the scent of burning and metal that had Dean covering his face, hiding inside his willow trying to hide away from the odor.

It was just after nightfall, after a rather fierce storm only went to show how Mother Earth was angry at her children falling victim to the hand of man. Dean was singing a song of healing and attending to the damage of his tree. He was slowly closing up a rather large split from one of the willows great limbs when he heard a noise behind him.

A young man with dark hair, ice blue eyes and a sharp face came walking through the dark forest towards him. He stopped just before the red toadstools that surrounded the willow tree. In the silver of the moonlight Dean noticed a quiver and bow on his shoulders and narrowed his eyes. The stories and songs of his family warned him of humans with these things. They were hunters and not to trusted.

The man beckoned him to come closer, but Dean only backed up more against the tree. This was not only his home, but his life.

“I heard the most beautiful voice,” he said his blue eyes looking glazed over with enchantment. “I could not help but follow it till it lead me here. I am Michael from the town of Eden, son of Chuck, house of Shirley. Will you come away from the willow bed and join me? I promise you safety if you would only be mine.”

Even if he wanted to with this stranger, his place was here. His life was sustained by his tree and the forest and without either, he would perish. Dean shivered under the mans glazed eyes. He knew the only thing he could do was somehow spell him to leave. He took in a deep breath, readying himself with the words needed to be said.

Dean looked at him serenely and shook his head. “See me now, a ray of light in the moondance. See me now, I cannot leave this place. Hear me now, a strain of song in the forest. Don’t ask me to follow where you lead.”

The man – Michael – straightened his back at the song, blinking his eyes as if he was waking up from a dream. Dean stepped further into the trunk of the tree, hiding in the deep embrace of his willow. Michael gave one last look around the clearing and then proceeded to walk through the creek and off on his way.

It was many moons before Dean ventured out of the safety of his willow. Usually he loved soaking up the sun and daydreaming in the shade, but after coming so close to the hunter he didn’t dare risk being seen again. His throat burned with songs he yearned to sing, and even though his willow told him it was safe, he cowered deeper inside her loving embrace. This new world had taken so much from them. He yearned to hear the stories and songs from his family and hated that he was reduced to fear. 

One day his willow tree called to him that a human was approaching. Despite wanting to hide away, the safety of the willow was more important. Slowly, he crept from the trunk, eyes squinting at the bright mid morning sun that he hadn’t seen in what seemed like forever. For a moment all Dean could do was stand there letting the sun soak into his skin. Oh, how he had missed this.

A stick snapped somewhere to his left, and he immediately spun around to the noise. A man in a coat of green with wild raven hair stood at the edge of the forest. Dean shivered as his wide blue eyes caught his.

“You’re beautiful,” he breathed.

Panicked Dean backed up against the willows trunk, his own eyes locked onto the mans. Instead of beckoning him to come to him, the human knelt down at the edge of the forest and held out a yellow flower that Dean hadn’t realized he was holding.

“It seems foolish to offering a tree spirit a flower, but…” He ducks his head and looks back up at him through his long lashes, cheeks flushing. “It seems almost a sin not to honor you.”

Dean manages to edge around the large trunk of his willow, her drooping leaves gently moving in the breeze in against him as if laughing at his fear.

“He’s one of them!” Dean whispers to his willow, daring a look around the trunk and seeing the man hasn’t moved.

The willow responds by swaying her long, loving limbs against him like a nudge. Dean sighs and debates how to move forward. His own tree senses nothing to be concerned about with this human, but…aren’t they all the same? Hasn’t all his family faded away because of their greed? And here this man kneels, offering him a flower. One from his forest, no doubt. But why is he offering it to him? He’s just a simple tree dryad – possibly one of the last ones in this forest.

Taking in a deep breath and ignoring the taste of metal in the air, he walks out from behind the willow. Her limbs brush against as if to reassure him, and he nods to her for the support.

“I didn’t mean to scare you,” the man says leaving the flower on the ground in front of him, standing up. “I’ve never seen a faerie before. I’ve heard stories, of course. My uncle claimed he saw one while out hunting many moons ago, but everyone laughed at him. I – oh! My name is Castiel. I come from a town not far from here; maybe half a days walk.”

Dean slowly walks to the edge of the toadstools, eyes searching Castiel for anything that might cause him or his willow harm. Other than the flower he brought, he looks to have nothing on him. Still, it would be foolish to trust him. He was still human, after all.

“Are you out here all alone?” Castiel asks taking a step over the flower and closer to Dean.

Dean freezes, every instinct telling him to run back to the safety of his tree. “No! Please! I’m sorry, I’ll stay back.” Castiel steps back and even further into the forest. “I mean you no harm. I promise. I wont tell anyone you’re here.”

Dean’s willows branches brush against him as a gentle breeze goes through his hair. A whisper in the wind tell hims he can trust this man. Dean lets out a breath and smiles in relief. The wind has been everywhere and knows everything. If the wind is telling him he is safe, then he must be.

“Thank you,” Dean chokes out, voice rough from not being used since, well, since he saw Castiel’s uncle. He clears his throat and kneels at the edge of the red toadstool circle. “Thank you for the flower. It’s been…a long time since I’ve been out of my tree.”

Castiel’s eyes go wide as and he takes a step forward unaware of his own actions. Dean smiles warmly, waving his hand at the red circle around him. “I cannot cross this line. I have to stay close to my tree.”

Tentatively Castiel approaches until he’s in front of Dean on the other side of the toadstools. He cautiously sits down and brushes a fingertip over the cap of the white spotted red mushroom. “Did you make these?”

“I did.” Dean touches the same mushroom with a gentle finger. “To mark how far I can go without harming either of us.”

“That’s…amazing,” Castiel breathes his fingers still tracing the cap.

Dean chances a look at Castiel while he is distracted. His features are more subtle than his uncle, not near as sharp. There is a light dusting of stubble on his face which Dean thinks fits him. He wonders what it would feel like to run his fingers across. His hair is unruly, wild even, as if the wind felt it a game to muse it. Dean’s own fingers twitch with the sudden urge to run through it. The thought makes him suck in a breath and Castiel looks up, catching his eyes.

They sit there, eyes locked together, until a dragonfly circles around them the luminescent light glinting off it’s wings making Dean’s eyes blink rapidly. They both chuckle, eyes darting anywhere but at each other. The wind blows softly around them, tinkling laughter through the leaves. Dean huffs and glares without heat up at his willow.

“Your eyes, they’re…” Castiel clears his throat and rubs the back of his neck nervously. “They’re the most beautiful emerald green I’ve ever seen. Specks of gold throughout as if Mother Earth knew how precious you would be to her.”

Warmth floods Dean’s cheeks and all he can do is duck his own head hoping the human doesn’t see the effect the words have on him. He’s never considered himself anything more than just a tree dryad, looks not meaning anything. If he were a fae of the forest, or perhaps bound to something else that required beauty – like a flower – maybe he would be more concerned for his outward appearance. Even now, it shouldn’t matter what this human says. So why is his body having such a reaction?

“I’m sorry,” Castiel says scooting back. Immediately Dean misses the closeness. He yearns to be able to go towards him. In reality, he _can_ step over the circle. It only leaves him breathless for a moment, but he wouldn’t be able to stay away too long from his willow.

“No, please,” Dean says, reaching out a hand to the man, hoping he’ll come closer again. “Beauty isn’t something I… I’m just a tree faerie.”

“You consider yourself plain?” Castiel asks.

“I don’t consider myself anything,” he replies letting his hand drop to the earth. “Why would I? There have been few who’ve seen me, and I enchant them to forget this place. Never has someone commented on my looks, but simply just been drunk on the idea of having a faerie.”

“You are anything but plain!” Castiel exclaims, coming closer to where he was sitting before. Instantly, Dean feels as if he can breathe again. “Not only just your eyes, but the way the sun has kissed your skin making it seem as if it glows. The freckles over your face left from the suns kisses are enough to make me jealous that they aren’t my own. Is that foolish? To be jealous of the sun?” Castiel chuckles, his nose scrunching up and eyes crinkling at the sides. Dean cannot help but to return the smile.

“The way your hold yourself with grace, yet looking upon you, one can see all the strength you hold. You are not some fragile creature, but hold enough power that anyone should fear you. Yet you offer me kindness and speak to me as though I’m equal which shows how brightly your soul burns. I count myself lucky to even be in your presence. I consider every minute you give me a gift.”

Speechless, Dean just gapes at him. He wants so badly to correct this human on everything he assumes him to be. He isn’t strong. Hiding for gods knows how long after seeing Michael is proof of that. If it hadn’t been for his own purpose to protect the willow he would still be deep inside her, cowering away. The thought of never meeting Castiel has his chest growing tight and he rubs the middle absentmindedly.

“Ah, I speak too much.” Castiel bashfully turns away and stretches out his legs. “I am told I do that. I apologize. Something about you just makes the words run away from me.”

“No,” Dean says smiling shyly at him. “It is unexpected, but not unwelcome. You just seem to see me and know who I am.”

Castiel rocks his head back and forth as if weighing his options. “I see you and feel as though I’ve suddenly found what I didn’t know I’ve been looking for all my life.”

Dean’s whole chest blossoms in a warmth that spreads throughout his limbs. It feels as though butterflies are inside his chest and he cannot even bother to respond to the wind teasing him. The thought of Castiel not being near makes him feel cold and he doesn’t like it. Even with his friends and family he’s never felt something so…powerful before. Dean hasn’t a clue what it means, and envy’s the wind that seems to have the answer but isn’t telling him.

They talk well into the night, long past the fireflies coming out and dancing around them. At one point one settles in Dean’s hair and Castiel reaches out to chase it away. Their eyes catch each other again, firefly forgotten, and slowly fall into each others orbit as their lips meet.

Dean’s body starts buzzing with energy as Castiel’s soft lips brush against his. Almost a vibration of energy sensation buzzes between them and has him gasping against Castiel’s lips. They part just enough for Castiel to catch his eyes as if asking permission. Dean’s eyes flutter close and tips his head up, his lips falling into Castiel’s like a missing piece he hadn’t known he was missing.

They break away from each other, panting, as if they’ve both forgotten that they need air to breathe. Dean offers a hand to Castiel, bring him over the circle of toadstools and leads him to the trunk of the tree. They spend all night lying on their backs underneath the cover of his willow tree whispering about their worlds and trading secrets with their mouths.

When dawn breaks over the sky, Castiel tells him he has to leave, but promises to return. Dean’s feels his chest tighten as he watches him walk away back into the forest. The rest of the day he spends up on the high branches of his willow tree, singing to to wind of happiness, belonging and love.

And so it goes.

Castiel comes by every day despite rain or shine. When the weather begins to turn colder, Castiel arrives with blankets and some sort of covering to hang over the willows branches to give them warmth. They spend all night wrapped up with each other, whispering secrets between their lips for only them to know.

When spring arrives, Castiel arriving is such a habit that Dean doesn’t bother remaining hidden any longer. He sings as the sun touches the earth until he sees the dark raven hair coming out of the woods. Many times Dean has surprised Castiel by meeting him at the edge. The twinge of pain is more tolerable when Castiel’s lips find his own, and they race back to the willow.

As summer arrives again, Castiel starts to become more quiet in the evenings. Dean tries coaxing him to speak by telling a stories of the animals that get up to mischief while he’s away, but he barely smiles.

One night while they are both standing under the willow tree watching fireflies dancing around the branches, Castiel turns to Dean and grasps both his hands.

“The people of my town have been suspicious as to where I am going all the time,” he says quietly, rubbing his thumbs over Dean’s knuckles. “I have come up with so many stories, but I can’t keep doing this. I love you, Dean. When I’m with you I feel nothing but complete, but…”

It feels like something inside Dean is breaking apart. The distance that’s been growing between them isn’t because of anything he’s done – but simply because of who he is.

“Come with me.” His blue eyes look so intense in the silver moonlight that Dean almost has to look away. “I’ll make up some story to who you are, how you’ve given me work in another town and then we can come back here. _Please_.”

It breaks every part of Dean to be unable to give Castiel this. It should be simple – for any other human, it would be the simplest thing in the world – but Dean is bound by Mother Earth.

“I… I can’t…” His voice chokes out the words, turning away so Castiel doesn’t see his face.

Slowly, he slips his hands free of the humans and for the first time since he can remember, he hates himself for being a faerie.

“You’ve captured my heart, Dean. I would do anything for you. I will pledge my life to yours, I just only need to do this one thing.” Dean can feel his hand over his shoulder before he feels it touch his skin. Instead of the amazing warmth and comfort, it only burns. “I’m yours. Forever, or as long as you’ll have me.”

Dean shrugs off the touch and turns around. He knows what he needs to do. It’s been so long, but the words are ingrained in him as they are every dryad. He licks his lips, trying not to let Castiel’s crestfallen face effect him.

The wind around them picks up, the branches of his willow twisting around them, trying to push them closer together. Dean ignores the winds whispers to stop, and closes his eyes so he doesn’t see what’s about to happen. He knows deep down he has to set him free.

“See me now! A ray of light in the moondance. See me now! I cannot leave this place. Hear me now! A strain of song in the forest. Don’t ask me to follow where you lead.”

The last words of the song fall from his lips brokenly. Dean opens his eyes to see Castiel’s eyes glazed over, enchanted. Dean slowly edges around the willows trunk, hiding behind her as he hears the man stumble out of the clearing. Only after the sound of twigs snapping under feet fade away does Dean let his tears fall.

The wind carries his cries and howls his anguish over the forest.

Dean doesn’t bother leaving the comfort of his willow for many days. Memories of Castiel and him together haunt him like ghosts. Warmth never comes and he shivers despite being hidden away from the elements. Outside his shelter of the willow he hears the wind howling her never ending cry. The tears haven’t stopped falling since Castiel left, and he wonders if he’ll ever truly heal again.

Days later his willow stirs him from his thoughts about someone coming from the forest. Dean’s heart thumps wildly in his chest wondering if maybe, somehow, Castiel broke free of his song.

Without thinking better of it, Dean steps out of his willow and runs to the edge of the circle. Instead seeing a messy head of raven hair he sees a man with short brown hair and a beard carrying an axe. The sharpness of the blade glints in the sunlight causing Dean’s body to shiver and freeze.

“I’ve been waiting a long time to get you alone without that boy here,” he says in an grating voice. “Didn’t think he was being followed, did you?”

Dean was so caught up in just being with Castiel he didn’t even think about someone possibly following him. Dean watches as the man steps out of the forest, his white knuckled grip on the axe handle tightening.

“Pretty song you sang to make ‘em go away,” he chuckles. “Used cotton fluff to plug my ears. After what Michael talks about, I knew it’d happen one way or another.”

The man advances and Dean steps back until his back hits the trunk of his willow. The brown haired man is shorter than him, but still he finds himself terrified. Is he going to use the axe on him? A small voice inside him wonders if it might actually hurt less than feeling life with Castiel near him.

“Funny thing, that song,” the man says stepping on top of the mushrooms, squishing them underneath his feet. “A few days after being home, Castiel’s head cleared right up. Somethin’ Michael’s never did. Kid was bound and determined to get back here.”

Dean’s eyes narrow as the man before him grins wickedly at him. Anger spikes so quickly in him knowing that this man did something to his love, that the wind gusts out of nowhere. His willows branches whip between them, but still the man steps forward. “What did you do to him?”

“Not of your concern. Though, I wager you can’t leave because of this tree,” he nods at the tree. “I bet you’re tied to it, and whoever sets you free is who claims you.”

“No!” Dean yells spreading his arms out like he might hide the willow. “You will not touch this tree!”

“Struck a nerve, huh? I knew that’s what you were hiding!” His gruff laugh puts Dean’s teeth on edge, but still he doesn’t move. “They both talked about this green-eyed faerie and how his beauty compares to none. I had to wonder after watching you for so long who they were talking about. You don’t seem much to me.“

“It’s not natural for a man to lay with another man. What you and Castiel was doing was a sin.” He steps on another toadstool and smirks back at him. “I’m going to take you back home. You’re going to help raise my children. My wife left me alone with those snot-nosed brats, and you’re going to live the rest of your life bound to me. I’m going to set you free!”

“That isn’t how it works at all!” Dean yells, widening his stance. “I wont let you hurt this tree! You will have to get past me!”

“If you insist.” He steps right up to him raises his axe.

Dean holds up his arms anticipating the hit, but the pain of the sharp blade doesn’t come. Instead something hard hits him on the side of his head and he falls to the earth with his ears ringing, the world suddenly going dizzy.

And then he feels it.

The first strike of the axe into his precious willow has him calling out in agony. Tears spill from his eyes as the man strikes again. It is impossible for Dean to even try and stand. It hurts worse than anything he ever thought possible. The willows pain mixed with his own is almost blinding, and he screams for both of them.

After what seems like forever, there is a crashing sound behind him. He’s laying on his side facing away from where he knows his willow has fallen, but his body hurts too much to turn. Dean gasps as he feels the last of his willows life leave his body. As the dust settles around him, he closes his eyes waiting for his own peace to come.

“Now that that’s done, yer comin’ with me!”

A rough hand grabs his arm and yanks him up to his feet. Dean lets out a whimper as his body sings with pain at the movement. Still, the man is relentless, pulling and dragging him to the edge of the woods.

He pushes Dean forward, not even pausing enough to adjust his hold on his arm. Dean stumbles and trips over vines and fallen branches. He wonders if maybe it’s the forest’s way of trying to help and keep him here to rest peacefully with his tree.

“Dean!” His ears perk up at his name, but he knows that it would be impossible. A mixture of pain and grief must be getting the best of him.

Dean hears his name every so often, but chalks it up to feeling light headed. He can hardly feel his own limbs moving, and wonders how far they’ve traveled. Still the man drags him along, mumbling under his breath the whole way. Dean doesn’t even enough strength to mock the man for killing him.

“Dean!” He hears clearly as if it were right beside him. “Let him go!”

He manages to turn around just to see Castiel running through the woods towards him. The hand on his arm lets go, and Dean’s unsteady legs that have long since stopped working collapse underneath him.

“He’s mine!” The man yells. “I set him free of that tree and now he’s mine!

“You…You fucking moron! He’s a tree dryad! You – oh gods – you just killed him…”

Gentle hands touch his face, and Dean sighs into the touch. He hadn’t even realized his eyes were closed, until now. He tries to will every ounce of strength in him for them to open, but they barely crack open.

“I’m so sorry,” he hears Castiel’s voice break. “If I would have known that he…Oh Dean!”

Dean feels Castiel’s face buried into neck and tries to open his mouth to tell him he’s forgiven, but his lips refuse to move. Instead he lets out a shaky breath and listens to his love cry.

“I love you. I love you so much, Dean. I’m so sorry,” he cries.

Dean feels the wind against his cheek telling him it’s time. He wishes he could tell Castiel how much he loves him. How much time they spent together meant everything to him. Instead, he sends up a prayer to Mother Earth to help ease Castiel’s pain. To let him know he is loved. To watch over him.

With one last shaky breath, he feels himself fade away. He knows that all that will remain of him is one glowing, flower that has no name, but only blooms for a night under the moon. And by morning, nothing more will be left of him except for the memory only his true love holds.

_“He cannot take from the forest what was never meant to leave.”_

**Author's Note:**

> Comments and kudos give me a high! Let me know what you all think!


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